Seed feeder



H. C. RASSMANN June 6, 1950 SEED FEEDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 20,1944 HUGO C. RASSMANN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. IO.

HUQO C. RASSMANN H. C. RASSMANN SEED FEEDER June 6, 1950 Filed July 20,1944 Patented June 6, 1950 UNITED STATES v PATENT "OFFICE 510,658 v 4 y:SEED FEEDER Hugo C. Rassmanmltiinneapolis, Minn. .Application July 20,1944, Serial No.'-545;782

fG'Claims. (01.222-9) I ""My invention relates to an improvement :in 1

the respective seed pockets in the rotor.

includes a "means 7 Further, the invention adapted to'spreadfthe seedsout over'the surface of -the rotor ina-manner 'to'urge the seeds ingrotor, 1 the fiange of the same passes :between an inner arcuated guideand an outer casing arcuated' guide sothat'the'seedsare kept-retained in'the pockets until that portion containingthe seeds reaches the bottomof the lanter, whereupon'the seeds are ejected by an ejectingwheel invery closeproximity to the furrow in which the seeds are planted.

into the pockets as the rotor "revolves in opera :tion.

My seeder ls'designed to be used ffor planting ibe'et seeds :which areordinarily small, having a rough or fuzzy texture; makingit-difliculttoplant the seeds singularly. Therefore; *it is a feature of my inventionto provide aseederbeing formed with aseed receiving rotor .or wheelhaving seed pockets formed in the rim of the'wheeL-each pocket beingbeveled fromthe outer surface of the rim toward the inside of-the pocketso as to permit the seeds to "freelyroll into or enter the seedpocketsin the rim. 'When the seeds are in the pock'ets, it'is 'desirablethatnotmore than one seed be in each pocket and to more readily accomplishthisoperation, I provide a spring iblade member which is adapted to ride.under spring tensionover the surface of "the seed receiving flangeabove the :seed jpockets formed fin-the "rotor whee1 which acts .as a'guard to :prevent more than a single seed. remaining in the pocket astherotorrevnlves to carry the seeds into zplanting position at the.lower portio-nof the ;seed carry ng rotor.

the rotor revolvesithe upper portion thereof enters the seed chamber ofthe hopper. Each zseed pocketis'iormed with an upper beveled surface sothat the seeds canireadily rollinto the 're- .spective .pockets. Withinthe seed hopper Lprovideaspreader or guard which is sufficientlyrigidQto =actfin a .manner to .wipe the seeds into the. .pocketshhsthecrctorrevolves, the guard tends v My .planter-can be equipped withinterchangeable ..rotors, .the various rotors having I different sizedholes .to accommodate the difierent seeds.

volved through .said hopper.

lVIy seeder may be formed with a rotor having a single planting rimwherein a series oi seed pockets are .Iormed insaid. rim, or the rotor.may

be formed with a double vflange projecting .on either side of the spokesof therotor andiormed with seed receiving pockets in each .of therespectitre-flanges. While -Ihave found it desirable to have the seedpockets formed in the rim of the rotor substantially round so .as toengage around the sides of the seed, I have also found that the seedpockets may beformedvopen on the outer edge of the rim. In the-open type.of pocket, seeds may be received vinto the same from the sides :as well.from the top of the periphery of the rotor and the seeds may beejectediin the same .manner, either .from the side .or directly outofthe pocket when the seed-bearing portion of the rotoris .innplantingposition.

.It is; a feature-of my inventiongto providea planter having.asubstantiallyaccurate means .forreceivingsingle. seeds into each seed.pocket of the rotor. .andto eject the seeds out of the pocketsiinto theplanting .fiurrowwith virtually as "small a,drop-as-gpossibleirom theseed .pocket of the rotor to the bottom of the furrow. This permits theseeds to be accurately plantedso that they are spaced .2.predetermined.dis'tanceapart. In. planti-ng seeds in this manner, Ieliminatelthe necessity of blocking the plants in the rows and .each.-.see,d is given --a chance to developintopa healthy plant. 'I'his ,isimportant in beet seeds, as well. as inother'types of seeds. f

It is apparent that my seeder may be made in a manner to plant any typeof seeds Where it is desirable to space each seed a predetermineddistance apart.

It also is a feature to provide a spring guard blade for removing theexcess seeds from the pockets as the rotor revolves, which blade isadjustable outside of the seed pocket with the spring operating end ofthe blade extending into the seed pocket and riding under spring tensionon the outer surface of the rotor in which the pockets are formed.

These features, together with other details and specifications of myinvention, will be fully set forth through the specification and claims.

In the drawings forming part of my specification:

Figure 1 illustrates my seeder in operation along the ground in whichthe seed carrying rotor is operated to accurately drop and plant theseeds in spaced relation in the seed furrow.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional detail centrally through my seeder andthe seed hopper to indicate the working parts.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fi ure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail looking down on a portion of the surface of thedouble flanged planting rotor and showing the spring guard. blade in theform used for the double row of seed pockets.

Figure 5 is a sectional detail of a portion of a rotor showing the seedpockets formed to receive peas or beans and also illustrates a portionof the spring guard blade to show the manner in which the blade pushesthe excess seeds out of the mouth of the pockets.

Figure 6 is a sectional detail showing the seeder in operation andejecting the seeds from the rotor, showing the manner in which the seedsare ejected in very close proximity to the bottom of the furrow in whichthey are planted.

Figure 'I is a surface view of a portion of the single row of seedpockets in the single flange of the rotor.

Figure 8 is a detail section of the casing of the seeder and the singleseed-receiving pocket rim shown in Figure '7.

' Figure 9, or the rim 2! may be formed with a pair Figure 9 is avertical section through a portion of the seed hopper through theseed-receiving rotor and showing the lower plow end of the seeder whichopens the furrow in the ground for the seeds.

Figure 10 is a detail section of a portion of the seed pocket rim of therotor.

Figure 11 illustrates the alternative form of said pocket rim where theseed pockets are opened on the outer edge.

The seeder A is adapted to move along the ground with the plow l9operating to open a furrow I I in the ground. The wheels l2 arepositioned on either side of the rotor casing is (only one of which isshown). The wheels l2 are adapted to ride on the ground and limit thedepth of the plow H) which forms the furrow.

A shaft l4 descends through the casing l3 and is driven by the sprocketI 5 through the medium of the chain Hi from a source of power (notshown).

This seeder is an improvement on my Patent 2,106,901, dated February 1,1938, and my application, Serial No. 510,151, filed November 13. 1943,for Seed planters. My seeder is adapted to be drawn over the ground byany suitable means and is provided with a drawbar connecof flanges 22projecting from either side of the spokes 20 as illustrated in Figure 3.

The seeder A ordinarily employs a rotor 19 with a single flange 22 asillustrated in Figure 9. In this form of rotor 19, a series of seedpockets 23 are formed in the rim 22, pockets extending through the rimbeing adapted to be of a size to receive the particular kind of seedswhich it is desired to plant. Each pocket 23 is formed with an outerbeveled mouth 24 to freely admit the seeds into the pockets 23 and alsoto permit excess seeds to be pushed out of the opening of the pocket asthe rotor 19 is rotated in the casing l3. It will be apparent that whenthe seeder is used to plant beet seeds, the seed pockets 23 will be of asize just sufficiently large to receive a single beet seed in the bodyof the pocket 23. When it is desired to plant beans, peas or otherseeds, the pockets 23 will have to be formed in proportion to the sizeof the average individual seeds.

The seeder A is made so that it can be readily taken apart and adifferent rotor l9 inserted in the same.

I provide the seeder A with an adjustable spring blade member 25 whichis adjustably supported by the screw 26 just outside of the seed hopperit? while the blade 25 extends into the hopper and the free end 21 ofthe same is adapted, to ride under spring tension over the surface ofthe rim 22 across the pockets 23. This spring blade is adapted toprevent more than one seed entering each pocket 23 as the rotor 59 isrotated in the seeder A.

I also provide within the seed hopper I8 a seed spreader blade 28 whichis supported by the bracket 29 extending between the side walls of theseed hopper l8. This spreader 28 may be rigid or of a spring nature andis adapted to have its free end positioned in close proximity to theouter surface of the rim 22 of the rotor I9 and its function is tospread the seeds over the rim 2| to cause the seeds to enter the pockets23 prior to the contact point of the free end 21 of spring blade 25. Inthis manner I provide a means for insuring the seeds falling in to allof the pockets 23 before that portion of the rotor l9 which passesthrough the seed hopper [8 travels down into seed planting position.

The casing i3 is provided with an inner flange 30 over which the rim 22rides and acts to hold the seeds in the pockets 23. The outer flange 3|formed by the casing I3 keeps the seeds from jumping out of the pockets23 as the rotor I9 is revolved in the casing [3.

At the lower side of the casing [3, the outer flange 3! is cut away toform the opening 32 so that the seeds 33 may fall out of the pockets 23as the pockets reach the lower planting position in the rotation of therotor 19. To insure the seeds being ejected out of the pockets 23, Iprovide an ejector wheel 34 which has teeth which enter the back of thepockets 23 and force the seeds out of the pockets if the seed isinclined to stick armrest" in the same. This "insures theflropp'ing ofthe seeds 33' at predetermined ,zmtervals so that thbiseiis may beplanted avpredetermined flistance apant,-:and .thns give ztire mlantsdeyelhped from the'r'seedsfilthe proper amount of :spame between eachother .so as to permit the :plalnts toitir'lly'develop. Iv I;. inp1oy..a.dDJlhleiSBfiililll. as .lIhis;v trated in Figures .3 .and e, 'thespringguard blade 25 has its outer freeend'Z'Iptiinted as illustrated in Figure 4. Beveled sidesi o V guard bladeact to push the e'rrioessseedsout-of the pockets 23. Where a single row of pockets are employed asillustrated in Figures '7 and 9, the spring guard blade 25 may have asingle beveled surface 21' which is adapted to push the excess seeds outof the pockets 23.

In Figure 5, I have illustrated the rotor [9 with larger size pockets 23for receiving pea seeds 35, and in this figure I show the guard blade 25acting to ride on the surface of the rotor I9v and to push the excessseeds 35 out of the pockets 23. It will be apparent that the beveledmouth openings 24 of the pockets 23 permit the seeds to enter thepockets freely and also to permit the guard 25 to push the excess seedsout of the pockets as the rotor l9 rotates in the seeder A.

The spring guard 25 is of primary importance in this invention, togetherwith the spreader blade 28, as I have found it is desirable to have theguard blade 25 ride closely over the outer surface of the pockets 23 toinsure the admission of only a single seed into each pocket 23. Theguard blade 25 also prevents the seeds 33 or 35 from being ground up bythe rotor as it passes through the seed pocket I8, and thus my seeder iseconomical in its operation.

In Figure 11 I have illustrated a pair of seedreceiving rims 22 havingthe seed pockets 23' open at the outer edge 36. This form of seed pocketmay be desired in some cases for particular kinds of seeds, as it willbe apparent that the seeds may be induced into the seed pockets 23 fromthe side as well as from the top, and the surplus may be ejected in thesame manner. The seed pockets 23' are formed with beveled mouth portions24' operated in the same manner as the seed pockets 23.

In Figure 8 I have shown the casing l 3 in section of a detail to showthe manner in which the outer flange 3i closes the outside of thepoohets and the inner flange 30 closes the inside of the pockets toretain the seeds 33 or 35 within the pockets 23 as the rotor rotatesfrom the seed hopper !8 down to the seed planting position at the bottomopening 32 of the seeder A.

In Figure 6 I have also shown a different form of ejector wheel 34' forejecting the seeds out of the pockets 23.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the plans ofoperation of my invention, together with the details of primaryimportance and I desire to have the scope of this patent extend to suchapparent changes to those skilled in this art and within the scope ofthe following claims. 7

I claim:

1. A seeder, including a seed receptacle, a rotor rotatable in avertical plane having a circular rim means formed at right angles tosaid rotor adapted to intercept said receptacle; a'series of seedopenings insaid' transverse rim, means for gathering seeds one at a timeinto said seed openings in said rim, and a bevelled spring deflectorformed from a flat piece of metal arcuated to the end "of as a r mmexcess seedsrrom said hi-means.

2. A seedenincluding a-s'eed-receptaole, a rotor frorms ensue surface:of said rotor, a series of seed pockets formed in said roterhavifigouter annular flared mouth openings for receiving the seeds freely intothe openings in said rotor, a seed spreader means positioned with itsfree end in close proximity to the surface of said rotor wherein theseed pockets are formed to spread the seeds in said receptacle in amanner to cause them to freely enter the seed pockets in said rotor.

3. A seeder, comprising a seed hopper, a rotor rotatable in a verticalplane positioned below said seed hopper and being adapted to be rotatedin a manner to intercept said hopper, a series of seed pockets formed insaid rotor, flange means depending from said hopper for holding seeds insaid pockets to carry the seeds to the bottom of the seeder, and a longarcuated spring deflector means having a longitudinally extendingangular wiping free edge adapted to ride on the surface of said rotorinside of said seed hopper to prevent more than one seed entering eachof the seed pockets in said rotor.

4. A seeder, including a seed hopper, a seedreceiving rotor rotatable ina vertical plane having transversely extending flange means, a series ofseed receiving cells formed in said flange means, beveled outer openingsleading into each of said receiving cells around the margin of thereceiving cell to permit the seeds to freely enter the seed receivingcells and to permit excess seeds to be pushed away from said receivingcells, and an adjustable spring guard plate adapted to ride on a portionof the outer surface of said seed receiving cells of said rotor and alongitudinally extending angular wiping free edge on said guard adaptedto push excess seeds gradually from seed pockets.

5. A seeder having interchangeable seed carrying means to permitdifferent size seeds to be planted by said seeder, said seed carryingmeans including a rotor, rotatable in a vertical plane a series of seedpockets formed in said rotor, a flared outer marginal edge for each ofsaid seed pockets, means for rotating said rotor through the seed hopperof the said seeder to gather seeds into said pockets, arcuated springmeans having a longitudinally inclined free end for pushing excess seedsout of said pockets, fixed means curved to fit over and in contact withthe seed pockets of said rotor and adjacent the free end of said springmeans for spreading the seeds in the seed hopper over the surface ofsaid rotor 6. A seeder, including a seed hopper, a rotor rotatable in avertical plane adapted to intercept said hopper, a rim formed on saidrotor having two rows of seed receiving cells formed in said rim, flangemeans secured to said hopper for holding seeds in said cells to carrythe seeds to the bottom of the planter, a pointed arcuated springdeflector positioned to ride on the surface ot-said rim inside said seedhopper, the point of said deflector being positioned intermediate thetwo rows of seed receiving cells to prevent more than one seed fromentering any of said seed receiving cells in said rim. 7

. HUGO C. RASSMANN.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number 7 Name Prentice May23, 1865' Vanneys Jan. 21, 1873 Snyder Nov. 6, 1906 Patric Jan. '17,1911 Krotz Nov. 22, 1921 Hoberg Apr. 16, 1935 Y FOREIGN PATENTS CountryDate 9 Great Britain Oct. 20, 1904

